B.C. minister praises recruitment of health-care workers from U.S., with 780 applications in 2 months
Changes making it easier for internationally trained doctors to practise in B.C.
British Columbia's health minister says the province has received almost 780 job applications from qualified American health professionals as part of its recruitment campaign.
Josie Osborne says more than 2,250 doctors, nurses and other health professionals have signed up for webinars and expressed interest in working in B.C. since March.
Bylaw changes implemented by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of B.C. this month mean U.S.-trained doctors can become fully licensed in B.C. without further assessment if they hold certifications from various American medical boards.
Osborne says that means Canadian doctors trained in the U.S. can "come home" and the path also becomes easier for American physicians.
The minister says the college is also considering more changes that would give internationally trained physicians a pathway to practise, if they completed a minimum of two years of postgraduate training in family medicine in the U.S., Australia, United Kingdom or Ireland.
It would also make it simpler if they have completed postgraduate training and received certification in certain specialties from Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, the U.K. or Ireland.
A statement from B.C.'s Ministry of Health says of the 780 job applications received between May and June, 181 are for Interior Health, 154 for Fraser Health and 121 for Vancouver Coastal Health.
